Local Bum
by Shillaet
Summary: Harry, ashamed of himself, becomes a local bum on the street. Draco finds him, just like he promised in 7th year...
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE  
  
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At first, they all celebrated. Hermione, Ron, Remus, even Dumbledore rose out of his enduring sleep of old to dance with some of the first years. I remember it in great detail. The Great Hall was decorated in the finest tapestries Hogwarts could find, and the feast was so wonderful. Steaks and turkey, juices of every kind, and wine. They had the finest wine shipped over from the best vineyards. There were simple foods, fruits and carrots, fish on the side of every platter. It really was the finest banquet in my life.  
  
But then... everyone kind of... forgot about me. About everything. They started history projects on the reign of Voldemort. Children no longer feared walking the halls, and there was yet no more Drama or heroes to look for.  
  
I was... no longer the saviour of the wizarding world. I was just me. Plain old me. Harry Potter, graduate of Hogwarts, seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. It was only a few weeks of real fame.  
  
Maybe Malfoy had always been right. Maybe I really did like fame. Maybe I was greedy and loved money. I still have my money. I don't have my fame. But I just have to prove him wrong. I feel so selfish and unaware of myself. I thought I knew myself.  
  
I thought I knew...  
  
But now I don't know anything anymore. I berate myself more than people think I do. I wish for Voldemort to be back, for the game of cat and mouse to continue. It just seemed too easy... just... too easy. I never truly thought I could win against the older, more experience wizard. Then again, I never thought I would miss my title as much, neither.  
  
Hermione's looking my way. She seems concerned for my well being. She has her suspicions. I've let my thoughts slip, sometimes, which were really stupid of me. None of them can know. Especially not my friends. Absolutely no one can know. Journal, you don't know how hard it is to keep this façade up. It's just so despairingly hard. I wish someone was here to talk to me about this. It's eating me up inside. I'm not a good person. I've realized that over the past few weeks.  
  
I have to go somewhere else after this... Somewhere where I can rot away with my guilt. This isn't like me. Malfoy really was right. I'm exactly like him. How can I live like this?  
  
That's what I have to ask myself. I don't deserve to even live this nicely. Starting tomorrow, the last day of my 7th year, I will run away, somewhere into the streets of London. Disappear with the very rats of the city. I'll give all of my money to another poor person on the street, maybe take their place. I can't live like this anymore.  
  
---------------------  
  
After closing my heavy journal, and putting it in a suitcase, I took a shower and got dressed. Nodding my goodbye's to Hermione and Ron, and hugging them both with a tear in eye, I made my way to the Hogwarts Express.  
  
For some reason, Malfoy was following oddly behind me. I went into my compartment, and he followed me in. My eyes widened as I sat down and tried my best not to snap at him. It's hard to think you're the wrong person, even after all these years of being able to think...  
  
I could see his gray eyes marking my every breath. I couldn't hold the staring on me any longer.  
  
"What do you want?" I had to stay calm. This wasn't the time to start a petty fight. I just had to get out... get out of this hell of shame. Get away from everyone. I can't stand to be around them any longer...  
  
"I want you to tell me something, Potter. After all these years... all these years of destruction in your life, how have you managed to..." Malfoy stopped in midsentence.  
  
I waited. Was he going to finish? He can't expect me to be empathetic with him all the time. There was no way I would ever be on the same mindset with that git. "To... to what, Malfoy? To not break down? To not beat your head in with a bludgeon? To not run away from my problems? To survive even in the midst of the Dark Lord? Malfoy, I can't read your mind. Don't ever expect me to." I was starting to lose the little patience I had.  
  
His eyes averted to the ground. His chest lifted as he sighed. What was he so nervous about? My eyes returned to its resting place near the window, looking out at the now down-pouring rain. I heard some shuffling but didn't have the forbearance to look his way. I just wanted to forget...  
  
I heard some shuffling after a few minutes, and I still stared longingly out the window. I wish I was the rain... So free... Never having a worry in the world. Just falling to the ground, waiting for heaven to soak you back up.  
  
We were almost to the station. In front of me, I heard a gasp, attracting my attention from the free-falling tears of the sky.  
  
Then I noticed - Malfoy was holding my journal! That beguiling bastard! "Give that back!" I ripped at the thick book, but he nearly dodged the move, seeming to speed read. His eyes widened with every word that formed itself on his lips. His unaudible words soon began to take voice.  
  
"That's what I have to ask myself. I don't deserve to even live this nicely. Starting tomorrow, the last day of my 7th year, I will run away, somewhere into the streets of London. Disappear with the very rats of the city. I'll give all of my money to another poor person on the street, maybe take their place. I can't live like this anymore." He had started softly at the beginning and ended in a winded, yet loud, voice. "Now admit I was right, Potter! About everything. Tell me I'm right, do it now!" His eyes held a bout of pride and accusation in them. I knew he genuinely felt like he had won out over me.  
  
"You had... no fucking right, Malfoy. No right." I glared at him, tried to burn a hole through his annoying blonde head. I had to get my journal back! This wasn't fair.  
  
"Just give me my journal back -" I whispered.  
  
"No! For the first time in my life, I can actually declare that I am right over the famous Harry Potter! But Oh - right. Harry Potter isn't THE famous Harry Potter anymore, is he?" Malfoy, finished with a smug look on his face, threw the book at me, which landed on my knee and then bounded onto the floor.  
  
My embarrassment and shame was at it's highest. I just felt like crawling up and dying. Hell, I wouldn't care if Malfoy flipped out his wand and zapped me with the killing curse right then and there.  
  
But he didn't. So I was left in an uncomfortable silence, not having the self-esteem to bound on him and rip him apart. I slowly picked up my tattered journal, and put it back in my luggage, which I found to have not been zipped up all the way. I closed my eyes and took a long breath. Suddenly, I felt a warmth and weight on top of my body.  
  
"I'll find you, Potter. Be afraid when I do..." I heard Malfoy whisper huskily. As soon as I opened my eyes again to push him off, he was gone, and through the door.  
  
He'll never find me. I'll make sure of that. 


	2. CH01 Stolen Goods

CHAPTER 1: Stolen Goods  
  
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"Mrs. Vanson, I'm going to be home around eleven tonight, so just leave my key under the mat in the cabinet!" I yelled across the lawn, buttoning up the black long-sleeved silk shirt.  
  
"That's fine Harris, dear, but make sure to be on time! I won't wait forever for that check you were going to write me two days ago. I need that rent payment, you know!"  
  
Mrs. Vanson. So much to say about a small, aged lady. She let me live in her basement as long as I paid rent. She cooked and was almost like a granny to me, but she was still hard on me getting my payment to her on time.  
  
For the past few weeks, she's been telling me to go out and get a job. It's not as easy as she thinks, though. She's, well ... retired, in a sense, and I don't have it in my records that I've even finished school from my younger years since I went to...  
  
Well, lets not get on that subject. I try not to think about Hogwarts anymore, but it sometimes slips.  
  
I walked down the sidewalk and passed Mr. Frosel's home. Least to say, he is a very weird fellow. He tries to raise chipmunks, but they always seem to run away. Mrs. Vanson can't see what's so appealing about his obsession. To tell the full truth, neither can I.  
  
I've changed over the years. I have broader shoulders, and I've reached a height of 5'9. Not a record, I know. But for what I can afford genealogically, it's all my body can muster. I have a hair straightener, so my wild hair now lies tame. On advice from a friend at Crash Party, a local bar in my part of town, I took myself to a hair stylist and got my hair streaked ice blue. When I was told blatantly by the same friend that I had to lose the glasses, I went to get contacts. Then for the hell of it and my unreasoned life, I got my lip pierced.  
  
I know I went a long ways to impress this guy. I don't really know why I did all of that just for him. I've never cared what others think of me, and then this guy, Kevin, comes along and tells me what to change, and I change it? What the hell is wrong with me?!  
  
Then again, he isn't a person to really disagree with. I've talked with the bartender and he tells me that Kevin's given advice to other guys and when they didn't follow it, they mysteriously disappeared the next night, never to return to the Crash Party.  
  
I'm kind of cautious around Kevin, now. He's a buff guy, easy on the eyes, but can scare the hell out of anyone as mild and non-aggressive as I.  
  
Kevin and I only get along for one reason. The money that I had inherited from my parents? Well, I left it in its safe, and that's where it will always stay. I've vowed to never lay a finger on one coin.  
  
The money I get is from selling drugs. Its not very uncommon around here in my town in muggle London. Kind of sad, how low I've gotten myself. But you know what?  
  
I've screwed my life over, anyhow. Ever since I was born ... and found out about my bloodline ...  
  
I shook my head, ridding the beguiling thoughts. Thoughts from my past years. I looked at my watch. "Crap..." I mumbled. //I have to meet Kevin at an abandoned car lot tonight. Ah! And then, after that, I have to meet T.G. at that crappy hotel at ten.// I flagged down a cab quickly and told him where to take me. He nodded and chuckled eerily to himself.  
  
The abandoned car lot is about ten minutes away from where I always flag the cabs down, so after a minute or so in the dark leather cushioned interior of the lift, I noticed someone else in the adjoining seat. //Don't stare. Damn, if I stare, I'll have to socialize.//  
  
My eyes riveted over to the silent, still body. I can't see their eyes. It looks like they're staring out into the city. //Like they're searching for something ... or someone...//  
  
"Ok, stop the cab. I'm getting out here." I said, rushing the words out when we had reached the place. He was driving so fast I thought he might pass it.  
  
I got out quickly and started to jog toward the lot.  
  
The cab driver rolled his window down fast while I jogged away. "Hey! Hey, lad! Get back over here and pay your dues! I don't drive people around all day for nothing!" He yelled out the window, his pruned face looking even drier than necessary.  
  
I turned around swiftly and marched over to the car window. "Here, take your damned money." I said in a forced tone.  
  
The blonde man was looking straight at me. Straight through me. It was like...  
  
//You don't have time to dwell on it. Get your ass out of here. Now.// I started to walk away again.  
  
"Hey, you didn't give me enough! You're missing my money, boy!" The cab driver yelled in a croak.  
  
My car was sitting there, a very nice car at that, and it had stolen goods in it. I reached into my pocket to get the money I owed T.G out. When I reached in, I felt - nothing. I searched more... I only had half of what I had to pay him. //All I have is half?! Crap! I'm dead!//  
  
Angry, I popped the trunk and got the boxes out that I needed. //Kevin's going to KILL me.// I could feel sweat starting to punctuate my skin. I felt like I was being watched...  
  
Suddenly I heard footsteps and I panicked. I tried to appear calm when Kevin walked over to me.  
  
I gulped as I scooted the boxes toward him with my foot. Kevin bent down and slowly opened one of the boxes. He smiled graciously but then frowned, and his brows furrowed in confusion.  
  
"Where the hell is my money, you little bug?" He mumbled, shaking the opened box violently. He looked up toward me. I was already trembling. I could feel it in my bones. "Where the hell is my fucking money!?" Kevin yelled, throwing the now-empty box at me. I held my hands up in unfortified defense. Kevin looked like a raging bull ready to pin down a trespasser.  
  
"Now I told you to get that money to me, and you defied me. This is very important, and you don't seem to see how much meaning this is to me. How hard did you try to get the money, huh?! How hard -" He mumbled with inkept rage.  
  
"No, I tried, I really did, but I -" A shock designated on my face as he slapped me hard across the cheek, and I crumpled to the ground. //Damn you, Kevin...//  
  
"You little fucker, I told you to have that money to me by today! And when I say today, I mean today!" Kevin boomed.  
  
I quickly stole back my dignity as I stood right back up and looked defiantly into Kevin's eyes. "I only have half of it -"  
  
"I want all of it! I told you that, and I told you how this business works!"  
  
My eyes narrowed. Then I felt a horrible blow to my jaw as Kevin's large hand swung out. A sickening crack was heard and I winced, biting my lip. Kevin quickly crawled on top of me before I could get back up and took my head in his large palms. Kevin banged my head against the cement once, making a wave of pain and fogginess through my mind. I then knew I was done. Kevin pulled back his fist for a punch that would have triggered many more -  
  
"Get the fuck off of him, Kevin!" I heard from a few feet away. I looked closer... closer, yet... Aristocratic features ... gray emotionless eyes ... gaunt face, pale ... snide looks, mean remarks...  
  
I was having flashbacks. I was having flashbacks of Malfoy.  
  
Kevin turned around, his eyes widening. "Drake?! What are you doing here?" //Drake? As in, short for 'Draco'?!//My eyes widened. This was Malfoy?! Long blonde hair, Lucius clone, yet saved-my-life Malfoy?!  
  
Kevin put his hands on his hips, making it look like he was trying to hide something. Like he wanted to hide me.  
  
Malfoy narrowed his eyes. "You heard me. Get the hell away from him." he growled. Why would Malfoy defend me? That's mind-boggling. //Maybe... Maybe it's because that could be him in the future... We're out in the real world, now. No magic to help us. No wizards to put protection spells on rooms or people themselves. It's just flesh, blood, and money.// My conscience reigned out. //No, that's absolute rubbish...//  
  
Kevin's head cocked eerily to the side. "Aah, I see you took my advice," He laughed merrily. "You let your hair grow out. Well, don't you look nice." Kevin had an edge in his voice. One of mania.  
  
Suddenly he advanced on Malfoy. //He's going to choke him.// My eyes widened. I quickly slid up toward the trunk and pulled out my trusty baseball bat. //Nothing like a good sport to remind you of your past.// I told myself sarcastically. Though bashing someone's head in doesn't sound like a sport to me, it's close enough.  
  
"Watch out!" I yelled, swinging the long wooded-stick as hard as my muscles would carry it. I heard a crack as the bat collided with Kevin's head, knocking him out, cold.  
  
Malfoy looked up in shock from Kevin's body and looked at me. He slowly got up, wiped the dirt off of his trousers, and walked over to me.  
  
"Why did you do that?" I didn't talk very loudly. I was wondering why he would ever put his life in a state of danger to save mine. I couldn't take my eyes away from his awe-filled ones.  
  
Suddenly, his eyes turned from awe-filled to cold. "I didn't. I - I wanted revenge." His eyes riveted.  
  
"No, but why? You're not telling me everything." I don't really know why I was so urgent for an answer.  
  
Malfoy walked a few feet away toward the car. "I don't know you, you don't know me, debt's paid back. We don't owe each other anything, now."  
  
Inside, I was laughing. Had I really changed that much for him not to notice that I've been his enemy since, well ... forever?  
  
Smugly, I asked, "Oh, really?"  
  
Malfoy turned around and glanced curiously at me. "What are you planning against me?"  
  
"Oh, absolutely nothing, Malfoy. Absolutely nothing." I muttered, looking away and smiling. I then noticed I was toying with him.  
  
"Who the fuck do you think you are?! Who have you been talking to to know my last name?!" Malfoy demanded in a brandishing tone.  
  
"No one." I stated, wide-eyed, and turning to him. I realized I had just made a mistake. 'Oops.'  
  
"You menacing liar! I swear to god, if you don't tell me who the fuck you are, I'll ... well, I have very violent weapons at home. I can go get it and torture you forever -"  
  
I snorted at the empty threat. His home was probably miles away, and at the looks of it, I could beat him to a bloody pulp right now.  
  
Loud male voices were heard near the parking lot. "Hurry up, follow me!" Malfoy urged, pulling me by my elbows to the pole that I had seen before. //So THAT'S where he came from!//  
  
"But my car! I have stuff in there that I need!" I hissed, glaring at Malfoy, and glancing toward my car.  
  
"We don't have time to care about the car right now, do you want to get your arse grilled before you can even deliver those things?! Now hurry up! We don't have all day!" Malfoy barked in a demanding tone.  
  
After I took a longing look at the car, he finally suppressed me into going behind the pole. In an atmosphere of extreme discomfort, Malfoy pressed his thin body against mine. "What are you doing?!"  
  
"I'm trying to get us NOT killed. Now shut up!"  
  
The voices sounded confused. It then sounded like they were, slowly, dragging Kevin's body out of the lot.  
  
I could feel Malfoy's breath tickling my ear. I was starting to panic again and my heart was racing like mad. My breathing increased and I couldn't stop.  
  
"Calm down." I heard Malfoy whisper soothingly. //Why is he being so nice?// I gulped and took two deep breaths. I evened out my breathing and became quieter. //Oh yeah, maybe because he doesn't want to die...//  
  
Every breath I took in, I smelled Malfoy's shampoo. It smelled really good, but then again, really strong...  
  
//Oh no...Oh no, this isn't good.// I took in a quick breath. "I'm about to sneeze..." I whispered as quietly as I could.  
  
"Hold it!" Malfoy hissed. I hoped the men hadn't heard us already.  
  
I felt my head bend back slightly. "A'choo!" I closed my eyes in relief, but soon opened them, and looked around nervously. "Crap ..." I muttered. Malfoy glared at me.  
  
"What was that?" I heard one of the men ask. There was a long silence and feet shuffling toward our hiding place. While they were walking, I heard a click of a gun. Someone here had a gun.  
  
I tensed up, and so did Malfoy. We were as close as we had ever been in our lives. Probably the last time we would be this close.  
  
We heard some more shuffling, some mumbles, and then feet walking away. Away! Malfoy let out a sigh of relief, as did I, and we both relaxed. We both stood there for about thirty more minutes. I went through the pain of listening to the men take all of the boxes out of the trunk. "Oh god, he's going to kill me ..." I muttered to myself, banging my still sore head against the pole.  
  
"Who?" Malfoy asked curiously. Why he was even interested, I had no idea. //What a weirdo.//  
  
"T.G. He's a guy that works at this cheap hotel place down the street from the bars, like ah ... Crash Party, for instance."  
  
Feeling more secure, but yet not fully sure, we stood body to body but whispered like we were having a normal, casual conversation.  
  
There was a short silence. "Really, though. Who are you?" Malfoy asked in a bout of wonder.  
  
"Uhm ...Harris Peters."  
  
"And, Harris Peters, how is it that you know my last name?"  
  
We were nose to nose, looking eye to eye. "Uh... Kevin told me about you."  
  
Malfoy smirked. "Funny," He paused. "I've never really," He then moved aside some of my hair on my forehead. "noticed this lightning bolt shaped scar on your forehead till just now." He finished, tracing the scar on my forehead.  
  
//Crap. Secret's out.// I thought with widened eyes.  
  
"Harry Potter." He pronounced slowly. "Harry Potter saved my life." He chuckled softly. "Harry Potter saved MY fucking life." He repeated.  
  
His eyes flashed and his smirk gone in an instant. "You left your journal on the train."  
  
"What?" I asked incredulously. "What journal?"  
  
He glared at me and stated coldly, "I'll show you when they leave." He nodded toward their direction.  
  
After about five minutes of an uncomfortable silence and trying to get comfortable with being so close together, the men left. We both broke apart quickly, and Malfoy searched in a sidebag he had excavated near the pole itself. After a lot of digging around, he finally pulled out a tattered, yellowing book. Finally, everything came back to me. The fight, the journal itself, my good-byes and my vows.  
  
Malfoy held it in front of me and opened it up to the last page, quickly reading over it. I let him. I forgot what it had said anyhow. "So, did you ever really give up your family fortune to a poor person on the street?" He smirked.  
  
"No." I said, looking at him like he was insane.  
  
"Where did you keep it in, then?"  
  
"Gringott's bank, of course."  
  
Malfoy sighed heavily. Feeling at peace for once, I went over to the car's trunk and opened a compartment, pulling out two beers. I threw one to Malfoy, and popped the top on mine, taking two large gulps.  
  
"You've changed, Potter. A lot, actually. More than I'd ever imagine you'd have the guts to." He nodded, in a false moment of impressiveness.  
  
"Yeah, well at least I accept change. I don't know about you." I nodded toward him. He rolled his eyes in response.  
  
"I still hate you, you know." He stated, frowning.  
  
"I'm sorry. It doesn't really matter anyway, because I still hate you." I frowned, and Malfoy looked away. There was a long moment of silence.  
  
I looked at my watch. It was 9:48. "Shit," Malfoy looked over at me disturbingly. "I have to be at T.G.'s in twelve minutes. I have to go."  
  
"Well, you don't really have to meet him, do you?" He asked, desperation in his voice. He was acting totally not like himself. When has this git ever been concerned about me? A sudden expression on Malfoy's face told me he was berating himself that exact moment.  
  
I jumped in the velvety front seat after closing the hood of the trunk, and starting the car. "Hell yes, I have to meet him. If I don't, he'll track me down. He has his ways, trust me."  
  
"When the hell have I ever trusted you?" He mumbled, glaring at my car.  
  
"Never. That's why you can do whatever you want with your perfect little life." I said, smiling.  
  
I then revved the engine, stepping on the gas. My wheels took away, screeching.  
  
I had to meet T.G. //Hopefully he isn't like Kevin.//  
  
But I knew ... that he was exactly like Kevin.  
  
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(A/N:: Draco will show up in the next chapter. If you read some of the clues right, you should pick up on where Draco will head next. And oh yeah, there's a reason Draco's being nice to Harry, so don't talk about it being OOC too much, just yet.) 


End file.
